Advertisement

An elegant Chelsea hotel with a storied history

Photo credit: Courtesy of Belmond Cadogan
Photo credit: Courtesy of Belmond Cadogan

From Town & Country

Over the centuries, the Belmond Cadogan Hotel has played host to everyone from aristocrats to artists, actors, writers and socialites. Dating back to 1887, it was once known as the London pied-à-terre of Oscar Wilde, while the actress Lillie Langtry famously courted the future King Edward VII within its walls. Its multi-million-pound restoration was completed last year, attributing the hotel with a lavish new interior to match its storied past. Now, having reopened its doors with new safety measures in place following the Covid-19 crisis, it offers the perfect escape without having to venture out of London.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Belmond Cadogan
Photo credit: Courtesy of Belmond Cadogan

Accommodation

Every aspect of the design seamlessly blends contemporary touches with respect for the hotel’s history. On entering the building from Sloane Street, we were greeted by the sight of a dramatic, sweeping wooden staircase soaring up above a mosaic-tiled floor and ornately corniced walls – a suitably splendid backdrop for the handcrafted furnishings and specially commissioned modern artworks.

As we meandered upstairs to our room – one of 54, many with views over Cadogan Place Gardens – we passed a bronze cast of 600 books, an apt nod to the hotel’s literary history. This theme continued in the bedroom itself, where the shelves were stacked with carefully chosen volumes from the Chelsea bookshop John Sandoe.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Belmond Cadogan
Photo credit: Courtesy of Belmond Cadogan

Every detail had been thought through, from the delicate cakes and pastries awaiting us on arrival to the specially designed face masks by the artist Nancy Cadogan. The most difficult dilemma we faced was whether to opt for a relaxing soak in the deep freestanding bathtub or an invigorating scrub in the walk-in shower, before making our way, thoroughly revived, down to the hotel restaurant.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Belmond Cadogan
Photo credit: Courtesy of Belmond Cadogan

Food & drink

When they announced the 31-year-old Scottish chef Adam Handling as the executive chef last year, Belmond set themselves up for London’s most exciting restaurant opening of 2019. Handling has been impressing diners with his innovative culinary creations at his Frog venues in Hoxton and Covent Garden, and the food at Belmond Cadogan certainly does not disappoint.

At Adam Handling Chelsea, with chic interiors by Russell Sage Studio, the menu stays true to the chef’s passion for traditional British cuisine with a modern twist. Plates are prepared in the open kitchen and arrive at the table beautifully arranged. The warm sourdough bread came with a whipped chicken butter, delicately paired with the restaurant’s own West Sussex-made bubbles.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Belmond Cadogan
Photo credit: Courtesy of Belmond Cadogan

From start to finish, dishes showcase the best of British ingredients with a heavy dose of gastronomic flair. A generously portioned crab omelette with kimchi mayonnaise was an unforgettable starter, as was the spicy tuna and beef tartare, served with seasoned waffle crisps. Some of the other highlights included a tender ribeye steak with béarnaise sauce and millionaire fries, as well as a delectable dish of broccoli potato gnocchi.

Save space for the fabulous puddings – the chocolate, bourbon, miso and rye dessert was so good we could have eaten it twice; it was all the more delicious paired with a chilled glass of orange peel muscat. Be sure to ask the restaurant’s expert sommelier Angelo Altobelli for his recommendations throughout, as it made for a truly unforgettable dining experience.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Belmond Cadogan
Photo credit: Courtesy of Belmond Cadogan

What to do

Guests at Belmond Cadogan Hotel become bona-fide Chelsea residents for the duration of their stay, with private access through 21 Pont Street and a key to Cadogan Place Gardens (normally inaccessible to the public). We could happily have spent a day soaking up sun rays in the tranquil garden square or batting a tennis ball back and forth on the court, before returning to the hotel for a cup of English Breakfast tea in the bar area (the elegant lounge is due to reopen soon).

For those hoping to indulge in a little tourism, the concierge team can share insider recommendations on what to see and where to dine in the local area. Indeed, our final impression on leaving the Belmond Cadogan was that this is not just a place for tourists: whether your home is a mile or a hundred miles from here, you’re sure to feel a world away from the everyday.

Belmond Cadogan Hotel, from £470 a deluxe room a night, based on two people sharing, B&B.